Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Monday officially confirmed that the next Spanish general election would be held on December 20.

Rajoy made the announcement at a press conference in the Palacio de la Moncloa following a meeting of his cabinet, which officially dissolved the current session of the Spanish Congress.

Rajoy had earlier said December 20 would be the date for the elections during a TV interview on October 2.

This is the 10th legislature since the death of General Franco in November 1975 and also the longest in that 40-year-period.

Rajoy had given the need for his government to pass it’s budget proposals for 2016 as the reason for delaying the elections, although critics have pointed out that December 20 is far from an ideal date. Many people will have either started their Christmas holidays, or faced the prospect of travelling to their home towns twice in a week, or sending in a postal vote (which needs paperwork to be completed) in order to cast their votes.

December 20 is also the last Sunday people can do their Christmas shopping, something which will also stop many making it to the polls.

At the press conference during which he confirmed the election date, Rajoy said his government’s main achievement was “avoiding an EU bailout for Spain,” which had looked likely in the depth of the economic crisis.